Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has challenged a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, to provide evidence backing his claim that he received N50bn from President Bola Tinubu after the January 2024 Ibadan explosion.
Makinde made the demand following allegations by Fayose that the Presidency released N50bn to the Oyo State governor to manage the aftermath of the explosion, which occurred in Ibadan, the state capital.
The governor had, in January 2024, visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he submitted a report on the incident that claimed five lives, injured 77 people and destroyed about 55 houses.
However, Fayose, during an interview on TVC on Friday, alleged that Makinde received N50bn from the Presidency, insisting that the funds did not go directly into the state government’s accounts.
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The allegation was also echoed by Fayose’s former aide, Lere Olayinka, who claimed in a Facebook post that although Makinde received N50bn, only N4.5bn was disbursed to victims of the explosion.
“Ibadan Gomina General got N50bn from Tinubu’s govt, only to release N4.5bn to victims of Ibadan explosion of January 2024,” Olayinka wrote.
Reacting to the allegations, Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, dismissed the claims as unfounded and challenged Fayose and his associates to substantiate them with evidence.
“There is no substance to the claim. If he (Fayose) has proof that the Federal Government gave N50bn, he should provide it. It is not just about going on air to say rubbish,” Olarenwaju said.
“If he has evidence, he should come forward with it. I don’t think we should waste time on these guys,” he added.